Meth lab discoveries result in five arrests

Eight separate methamphetamine lab incidents in two Southeastern Kentucky counties within a 52-hour period resulted in the arrest of five people.

Each of these meth labs were cleaned up by detectives from Operation UNITE.

The flurry of activity began about 8 p.m. Sunday, March 18, in Rockcastle County when sheriff’s deputies discovered an active lab at the home of 44-year-old Stevie Spoonamore on Brindle Ridge Road in the Brodhead community.

Spoonamore and 30-year-old Michael Hopkins of Lancaster were each charged with manufacturing methamphetamine by the Rockcastle County Sheriff’s Office.

On Monday, the Monticello Police Department was investigating a report of a man passed out at a home on Ridgewood Avenue about 10 a.m. and discovered he had two active one-step meth labs in his jacket pockets.

The chemical reaction occurring inside one of these containers caused a brief fire as detectives were attempting to neutralize the lab.

Baron Alexander, 41, of Cave City, was charged with manufacturing methamphetamine along with several outstanding arrest warrants.

Four separate instances of inactive meth labs being found along highways in Wayne County were also handled Monday. An inactive lab was found along a roadway in Rockcastle County on Tuesday.

Late Tuesday evening, Monticello Police received information on the possible location of two suspects wanted on manufacturing methamphetamine indictment warrants obtained by UNITE about two months ago.

When the city officers and deputies from the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office arrived at a home on North Second Street they discovered 39-year-old Angela Wallace and 35-year-old Joseph Wallace hiding in a closet and spotted materials used to manufacture meth.

After obtaining a search warrant, they located an active one-step meth lab and three other active “smokers” used in the manufacturing process.

The Wallaces, of Monticello, were served with the indictment warrants and were additionally charged with manufacturing methamphetamine by the Monticello Police Department. Additional charges on the couple are pending.